Novels set during the Christmas season are becoming
more popular than ever. People love reading cozy stories during the
coziest time of the year. But the stories can’t be all about Santa’s
rosy cheeks and merry dimples. If I don’t have St. Nick ripping his
pants on the way down the chimney, or landing on some burning coals,
or facing a gun-toting homeowner, then readers might want to settle
in for a long winter’s nap—but only after opening the shutters to
toss my novel out onto the new-fallen snow!

Okay then, let’s brainstorm a snuggly Christmas scene
that can be tweaked enough to turn tranquility into turmoil.

Our heroine and hero, Lucy and Harold, are in love—oh,
how sweet—and Lucy knows that Harold has created a perfect evening
so he can pop the question. The tree is decorated, Josh Groban’s Noel
CD is playing, and Harold and Lucy are nestled in front of a crackling
fire sipping hot wassail. That’s a nice Christmassy proposal scene,
but we can only take cozy so far. Ray Bradbury said, “First, find
out what your hero wants, then just follow him!” Good advice, but
what if my heroine, Lucy, wants to marry Harold and is about to yes?
It’s the end of my happily-ever-after story. Something ugly will need
to happen soon. Some sort of struggle, internal or external.

Here’s one scenario. Hours before their romantic
interlude, Lucy discovers that one of her beloved friends, Alice, is
also in love with Harold. This could cause some struggle, but Lucy may
say yes to the proposal anyway, since she could convince herself that
she is the only woman on earth who could make Harold happy. Okay, so
after a chapter or two, the conflict fizzles.

Maybe a moral dilemma would turn up the heat. What if
Lucy’s friend, Alice, was a widow, and the reason her husband is dead
and her children are fatherless is because of an accident—an accident
that was Lucy’s fault? And what if Alice had a problem with depression
because of her loss and grief? Okay, that’s a twist that will make
readers squirm. Lucy is now going to say no to Harold’s proposal—that
is, if she has any moral marbles in her bag—and she’ll want to give
Harold a chance to fall in love with Alice.

Good, but maybe the conflict needs another layer.
Perhaps since the accident—which was years ago—Alice has used the
incident as leverage, and she has forced Lucy into a subservient mode
that has turned into oppression. Lucy will not only need to love Alice
as Christ would, but she’ll also need discernment and wisdom and courage
to break free of Alice’s control. Hopefully this additional dimension
will help keep Lucy tripping toward the altar until she finally gets
to say, “I do.”

If you have trouble creating conflict in your story, then
find a brainstorming buddy who can help you flesh it out. This simple
but effective idea has worked well for me.

I think one of the best books out there on plot development and
conflict is The Plot Thickens by Noah
Lukeman. I highly recommend it. Hope this helps.